Welcome to the new WhyDev site!

[Weh Yeoh]

Welcome. Velkommen. 欢迎光临. Sohm swaakohm. G’day, how’s it going?

This site has been a work in progress since May 2010 and we’re pleased to announce that we have completely revamped it. We think that you’ll be pleased with the look, feel and navigation of the new site.

One of the main changes in the new site is that it reflects the direction in which WhyDev is moving. We’ve been known for our contribution to discussion around aid and development. Our blog posts have been possible due to over 50 contributors, mostly female, who have lead discussion and instigated over 1000 comments since our site went live. We’re grateful to each and every one of you who have helped to foster this non-judgmental platform, where participation is encouraged. Some of our most popular posts, which you can see on the right hand site of each blog page, have had over 20,000 hits. We’re very proud of our blog, and that it is here to stay.

However, for a while now, the blog has only been one part of what we at WhyDev do. The new site reflects this. You can still log right into our blog via its own URL:http://www.whydev.org/blog, when you wish. However now, our main landing page is capable of displaying all the other exciting things that are going on at WhyDev. Here’s a few of them:

• Peer coaching – For those who aren’t aware, we’re building an international support network for aid workers. Using funds that we crowdsourced, we’ve now completed the first phase of using those funds – rebuilding the website to have a space that is dedicated towards this very concept. We will use this section of the site to have people sign up, and as our main place for interaction with peer coaches. More on this will be revealed as we build it over the coming months.

• Aidworks – We’re proud to support and partner with Aidworks – Australia’s only radio program devoted to discussing aid and development issues. We want foster the same sort of learning environment that is prevalent in our blog, and showcase it in an audio form. Each week, we’ll have the new podcasts up on our site, and you’ll be able to hear Albion Harrison-Naish’s smooth voice talking to some great guests about all things aid and development.

• More. Oh so much more – As WhyDev expands (and we’ve got some pretty good ideas in the bank), the site will evolve to accommodate these changes. Remember, WhyDev is very much about you. If you have an idea that you think would fit well into our Vision, drop us a line and we’d love to hear it.

All of these changes could not have been made possible without the addition of another WhyDev team member. It is our pleasure to introduce our web guy, Daniel Drake, into our team. Apart from being a certified web guru/nerd, Daniel is a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran University with a major in Communication and concentration in Journalism. He worked through college in TV, print and online media, and has more than five years experience creating websites and online tools. After witnessing the 2011 massacre in his home country Norway, Daniel decided to devote his skills to connecting people in international development and helping them tell their stories. He currently serves as an intern with Global Washington in Seattle.

We can’t stress how grateful we are that Daniel has stepped up to the plate just when we needed him. We’re excited to continue working with him, and we’re sure that you agree that his work speaks for himself. In fact, if you are impressed by the changes, you should get in contact with Daniel yourself, to see how he can help you.

There are also far too many other people to thank in helping us to get there, but we’d like to start with our founding members: Ellie Wong, Stuart Meney, Sam Porter, Rachel Szekely, Ross Wortham and Sally Crawshaw. Special thanks to Stuart Meney for logo design and website help. Thanks also to Shana Montesol Johnson for supporting and believing in our vision for peer coaching. And a big thanks to Albion Harrison-Naish for his enthusiasm in linking us up with Aidworks. Massive thanks to the beta testers (you know who you are) who tested our site. Last but not least, thanks to those who supported us financially and otherwise when we needed your help.

If you would like to ask any questions about WhyDev, or comment on the site, or submit your own blog post, do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Thanks for following our progress and we hope to keep improving more in the future!